Two Ends, Two Beginnings
by Arielle Valentina Carmen Brook
Summary: What will happen with Chad and Gabriella's blooming, secret relationship? Minor Troyella, Minor Chaylor, Major Chadella, Major Traylor. R&R!
1. Gabriella

"Chad, I just don't feel right doing this!" Gabriella said, pulling away from Chad's sweet kiss.

"Gabi, I promise I'm gonna break up with her today. I just chickened out last night, it was a one time thing, I promise. Today!" Chad replied, pulling her back into him.

It must have been ten minutes before both of them realized that there was a drama practice that was going to be going on in that very auditorium next period. Which meant that Gabriella had to endure another period of a combination of guilt and disgust at Troy. She couldn't believe she had EVER preferred him to Chad, his gorgeous best friend. The only problem with Chad was a rather large one – he was going out with Gabriella's best friend, Taylor.

* * *

"Gabriella, I was looking for you all through lunch! You told me you would meet me on the roof, remember?" Troy said, winking, as they were working out costumes backstage.

"Oh. Sorry. I was busy… you know, uh, in the library."

"Really? I looked there… must have missed you. Anyway, honey, I was thinking that you, me, Chad, and Taylor could go on a double date tonight. Its been ages since we had one of those!"

Gabriella gulped. She had been avoiding double dates for the past month, ever since she started cheating on Troy with Chad. But she had told Troy she was free for a date today, simply because of that feeling of guilt. She really hated it!

"Alright. Can we just see a movie though?" She thought that there wasn't much chance of her being too attracted to Chad during a movie with a few seats and boyfriends/girlfriends between them. Besides, if Chad didn't lie, he would be breaking up with Taylor tonight anyway. So it would be the last night of endless torture for Gabi before she was truly happy with her Chad.

"Sure, baby, listen, I gotta run. Dad's gonna kill me if I miss practice again!" Troy grinned, backing away as the bell rang. Then he yelled over his shoulder as he ran off, "I love you!"

Gabi watched as Troy ran off into the distance, his ruffled brown hair flowing behind him. How she hated it now, the way it reminded her of the times she was such an idiot and had kissed him, running her fingers through that very hair. "I don't love you," she mumbled, turning around and entering Chad's number, which she had memorized, into her cellphone. It went through to the answering machine, but that was fine with her. It soothed her just to hear his voice. She hung up.

* * *

As Gabi looked at herself in front of the mirror, she smiled. She hadn't felt this good in ages. Despite the confusion and guilt of earlier that day, after a long time primping and trying on every outfit anyone had every said looked good on her, she had managed to find one that she was convinced Chad would love. She didn't even care about Troy anymore. All she wanted was Chad.

"Mami, I'm going out for a movie with the regulars! I'll be back before 11!" She told her mother as she picked up her purse and ran out the door. Troy was waiting there, as he always was before a date. She wondered if he ever got tired of doing that, considering she was almost always 10-20 minutes late coming outside. _Oh well, _she thought, _after tonight there won't be any more of him waiting around before dates. _

"Hey, baby, I'm really sorry, but the movie you wanted to see is completely full. Checked on Would it be okay if we just went out for dinner then to the old arcade?"

Oh no! That meant that there wouldn't be any dates or seats to separate Chad and Gabriella. And she might be tempted to… no. She wouldn't. Not with Troy and Taylor around. Definitely not! She wouldn't. "That's fine. But can we go? I'm freezing here."

* * *

The drive to the restaurant was short. They ate their pizza and Chad and Gabriella had almost no contact. Unless you count endless staring at eachother from across the table, twining their ankles together underneath the table, and even touching hands under the table as contact. _I hope it doesn't get any bet-, I mean, worse, at the arcade_, she thought to herself, sighing. She was about to find out.

After walking a few blocks up the street to the beat up old arcade, Troy and Taylor ran straight off to the same games they always played. They looked at Gabriella and Chad a bit strangely when Gabi didn't go to PacWoman and Chad didn't go to Astroships, but they got over it. And as soon as the secret couple were sure that their dates weren't watching, they went and crouched behind the games at the back of the room by the faded blue couch. Without words, they started passionately kissing, Gabriella running her fingers through Chad's messy dark brown afro, Chad holding her close to him. Little did they know that there was a camera stationed right behind them, and Troy was visiting a friend of his who was on security duty that night. Therefore they had no idea that he was there, watching his girlfriend and best friend since kindergarten kissing in the very arcade where he and Chad had been meeting for 12 years. They were also so wrapped up in eachother that they didn't know that Taylor, on her way to the women's bathroom, had also witnessed this interaction. Her eyes filled up with tears as she yelled, "Chad! Ella! How… what… how could you??" before she sprinted to the women's bathroom. Gabriella felt a tear rolling down her face, and before Chad had the chance to wipe it away, she ran off, wondering what was going to happen next.


	2. Taylor

"Chad! Ella! How… what… how could you??" Taylor yelled, never feeling more betrayed in her life. Her boyfriend and her best friend? What was happening? How could she not see it before?

"Oh, my god!" she gasped to herself, watching her reflection in the bathroom crying. Before she let it get any worse, she ran into the stall, wiped off her face, and tried her best to look calm and cold, as if she couldn't care less that the two people she cared about most in the world, other than her family, had both betrayed her in the most terrible way. She struggled to hold back tears as she walked as quickly as possible out of the women's toilet, and she was doing a fine job of it – at least until her eye accidentally wondered to Gabriella on the sofa, crying, and Chad holding her in his arms, the way he had always done for her when she was scared or upset. And then she saw Troy, the hurt clear on his face, standing a few feet away from them. Her heart bled for him, and for lack of anything better to do, she reached out and grabbed his hand. She dragged him along behind her as he shuffled along, shocked.

"Troy, baby, it's okay, don't worry, you'll find someone else, she's not worth it, it's okay!" Taylor said as they sat down on the bench outside the arcade. She lay his head on her shoulder, letting a single tear fall out as she told herself the same things she was trying to convince herself of. He was cheating on her, he wasn't worth it. But there was something about Chad that made her want to forgive him right away if he asked for forgiveness, and the same with Gabriella. They were so close to her, she knew they hadn't meant to hurt her. They couldn't have!

* * *

They sat there for a while, both of them clearly thinking about what had happened. After about 10 minutes, a puffy, red-eyed Gabriella came out of the arcade, pulling Chad, with a pained expression on his face, along with her.

"Tay, Troy, I'm so sorry. I really didn't want for this to happen… I didn't want to hurt either of you. I love you both, but Troy, not like that. I hope you guys can forgive me. And Chad too. He was going to break up with you tonight… I'm so, so, SO sorry. Please forgive me?"

"Oh, so you expect us just to forgive you both? After what you did? Look, I know you might be saying that you didn't want it to happen, but you shouldn't have started it in the beginning!" Taylor said, her voice steely, trying to sound strong. But she let a little sob come out at the beginning. Gabriella got down on one knee so she was level with her best friend, or who she was now afraid was her former best friend.

"Tay, I know, and I understand if you can't forgive me. But please, please try. I'll miss you horribly if you stop being my friend, and I know Chad'll be upset too."

Gabi hugged Taylor until she said, "Okay. I'll think about it, but you know what you did was very wrong and I hope you know you might not be able to get me back, Ella. I'm going home now. Troy, want a ride?"

"Y-yeah. Please. Bye," he said, his voice low and deep. Taylor inexplicably found it terribly attractive.

Gabriella gave both Taylor and Troy a hug before they left, and Troy stiffened in her arms. He couldn't help it. He had spent so many hours in those arms, so many perfect hours. It was all he could do not to cry, so he quickly pulled Taylor along with him.

* * *

The drive passed quickly and silently, the driver and the passenger both lost in their own thoughts.

When they got to Troy's house he asked, "Do you wanna come in? My parents are out at some fancy dinner. And I could use some company, considering all that has gone on tonight."

"Sure, I could use some company, too," Taylor replied, but she was unsure. The house was a very large, brick house, with lovely ivy crawling up the side of the house. From what she could see of the inside, it was just as grand. And as she walked in, she saw she was right. It was full of comfortable chairs, wood floors, and a big winding staircase. He told her that his room was upstairs, and they could go up there. When she got into his room, she sat down in a blue beanie chair with his initials on it. All the events of the night flashed through her mind, and she found herself weeping almost inconsolably.

"Tay, don't cry! He's not worth your tears. You're much too good for him, you're too pretty and nice and smart and…" his voice trailed off. He realized he had probably gone too far, let out too much. On a sudden impulse, he leaned forward and kissed Taylor. She didn't protest, so they kissed more, for maybe 15 minutes. Then Taylor pulled back, breathless.

"Wow…" sighed Taylor, wondering what was going to happen next 


	3. Troy

**Heyy guys! This chapter is pretty short, and it might be my last chapter, unless more people review and tell me to keep going. Don't worry, though, even if this is the last chapter, I'll make a new story. Enjoy! -Arielle Valentina Carmen Brook **

Sitting in his assigned seat in science class, Troy wasn't really sure what to do. This was the only class he had with Gabi- Gabriella, dangit, she wasn't Gabi anymore- the only class where he sat next to her. The only class he had before looked forward to with anticipation, and now the only class he looked forward to with dread. He knew that Taylor had forgiven her, although she was still a little bit distant, she knew both of the girls well enough to know that they wouldn't be without each other for long. As she walked into the room, he tried not to notice how pretty her eyes looked with that eyeshadow he had bought her on one of their dates, or how good her hair looked pulled back, a suggestion of his.

"H-Hey Gabi- I mean, uh, Gabriella."

"Hey Troy! Listen, again, I'm so, so sorry about the whole thing with Chad. I just didn't want to hurt you… I promise, it hadn't been going on for _that_ long. Will you forgive me?"

_Oh, yeah, you did a great job of not hurting me. Even since the thing with Taylor happened last night, my heart is still broken. I want to forgive you- so, so badly- but I can't. _Troy thought, shaking his head. The hurt was evident on Gabriella's face, and he hated that he had hurt her, but when he thought of how she had hurt him, the guilt went away.

"Well, I hope you can find it in yourself to forgive me soon. But I understand that you can't right now," Gabi said, sweetly, swooping down to kiss his cheek. He turned bright red, and she instantly regretted it. She hadn't meant it like that, she just wanted to let him know that she was still friends with him, that she wanted him to forgive him and she wasn't going to give up. There was an awkward silence in the two minutes between the first bell and the start of class. The silence was ended, however, by Mrs. Atkens starting her talk on cellular respiration.

Now Troy was really confused. He had felt that electric rush through his body, the same one he had felt when he was kissing Taylor. But he couldn't still like Gabi! She was with his best friend, she had cheated on him, she had done pretty much everything that a girlfriend shouldn't do! And so had Chad! But they were his only real friends, the only people who didn't only like him because he's the captain of the basketball team. And what did Taylor think now? Did she like him? Did she want to do what they had done last night again? He had certainly enjoyed it, but as she was leaving out the back door when they saw his parents' car coming into the driveway, she had been very quiet. Did that mean she was as confused as he was? He was disrupted from his reverie by the bell ringing for lunch before he could come to a conclusion, though. He would be able to see Taylor and Gabi together and decide who he liked more. He knew he needed to like Taylor more, since he wasn't going to ever get Gabi back. But he wasn't sure if that was what his heart was going to go for. He sighed, getting up and going to the cafeteria.

After lunch, he decided that he was going to ask Taylor out. He had seen Gabriella and Chad, now public with their relationship, sitting next to eachother, holding hands, kissing, and doing other things that boyfriends and girlfriends do, things that they used to do. As he walked up to Taylor, he coughed to get her attention, and she turned to him, her dark eyes sparkling.

"Uh, Tay, I was wondering…" he coughed. "Do you wanna go out sometime? You know, uh, the movies, dinner, whatever…" he trailed off.

The shock was evident. She stuttered, eventually saying, "Y-yeah, sure, Troy, um, you know, um, last night? D-do you wanna, uh, do that again?"

"Sure," he said, smiling. Now he could have Taylor and Gabriella had Chad. Sure, their gang had switched boyfriends and girlfriends, but that was okay with him. Although he was still hurt from what Gabi had done, he knew he could eventually forgive her. And although he was still not sure if he was completely over her, he knew he eventually could get over her.

** So, I know that sounds like an ending, but if you guys want I can probably go further. Bye!!!**


	4. Chad

**Alright, guys, I'm sorry this chapter is so short. But I've completely run out of inspiration! Leave me reviews with some ideas and I'll give you credit, I promise :D –Arielle Valentina Carmen Brook**

Chad walked through the halls of East High, hand in hand with Gabriella. Everybody was looking at them oddly, and Chad felt somewhat like a zoo animal. He held Gabriella's hand tighter, not afraid to show everyone that he was now going out with her. It seemed that just because Gabriella and Troy had the main parts in the musical they were "destined" for each other and Gabi could never go out with anyone else, like Chad, for example. And everyone was asking about it, including some of their friends, like Kelsi, Zeke, and their not-friends, like Sharpay and Ryan. Sharpay was clearly just interested in finding out if the break up would effect their chemistry onstage, but after a rehearsal that day, she had figured out that it wouldn't and wasn't interested anymore.

Chad realized why he loved Gabi so much when he looked at her. She kept on walking, unfazed by all the looks and whispers. Whenever people asked if she and Chad were going out, she would just smile, say yes, and keep walking. It didn't seem like Taylor or Troy had told anybody about _how_ they got together, so he wasn't too worried. He didn't want to get a reputation for that kind of thing, and he knew they might loose some of their friends if they found out about it.

"Chad, I've gotta go to math now. I'll see you after school, okay?" Gabi smiled, turning towards him in the hallway. Just as she did, he saw her face cloud over.

"Gabi? Are you okay?"

"Oh, uh, yeah, I'm just not used to seeing _that_," she said, pointing over to the lockers.

Troy was pressing Taylor against the locker as they kissed. That hit Chad somehow, even if he knew he didn't love Taylor anymore. He thought it was probably just because Taylor looked so… unhappy, really. He didn't know why, and he wasn't sure he wanted to know, but he was thinking about that look on her face as she looked up from kissing Troy all day, during his date with Gabi, and even when he fell asleep that night.


End file.
